Semiconductor devices are typically subject to process, voltage, and temperature (“PVT”) variations. Process variation relates to variation due to the semiconductor fabrication process. Voltage variation relates to variation from ideal values of one or more supply voltages. Temperature variation relates to variation from an operating temperature or an operating temperature range.
A semiconductor processor includes one or more processing cores and one or more cache memory arrays comprised of Static Random Access Memory (“SRAM”). Because of the size of the SRAM arrays, each SRAM cell typically has a small-swing with respect to voltage. Sense amplifiers are used to amplify the voltage so that a value stored in a memory cell can be read out. As device geometries continue to shrink with each process generation, PVT variations impact small-swing sense amplifier designs. Conventional small-swing sense amplifiers require precise timing of the control signals to provide margin in anticipation of PVT variations.